New York St. Patrick’s Day fight for Katie Taylor

Irish boxing giant Katie Taylor is set to fight in New York City on St. Patrick’s Day weekend 2017. At a press conference on Tuesday, it was announced that the Olympic gold medalist Taylor will be on the undercard of men's middleweight kingpin Gennady Golovkin’s bout, at Madison Square Garden, in Manhattan on March 18, with Michael Conlan headlining the previous day.

Taylor, who won the title of champion at the London Olympics in 2012 lost in opening bout against Finland’s Mira Potkonen, in Rio in August 2016. This weekend the Bray boxer will make her professional debut at London’s Wembley Arena. All going well Taylor is set to have two major fight under her belt by the end of 2016, and ahead of her St. Patrick’s Day match.

Before she fights in New York City Taylor compete against Poland’s Karina Kopinska at Wembley on Saturday (Nov 26). However, the 30-year-old boxer believes that her time in the United States training camp, with Ross Enamait, has been a success.

Taylor told the RTE “The weeks out there have been very, very grueling, but it’s been absolutely brilliant

“I feel in great shape. I feel like I’m boxing better than I have in a long, long time.”

Kopinska isn’t expected to pose Taylor too many problems but the Irish star doesn’t plan to underestimate her opponent.

Promoter Eddie Hearns broke the news of the New York fight on Tuesday. He told the press “It looks like we're set for March the 18th at Madison Square Garden on the undercard of the Gennady Golovkin fight as well after discussions with Tom Loeffler over the weekend, which is a huge opportunity for Katie Taylor.”

"This is a new step for Matchroom Boxing and Sky Sports, some of the guys in the media spoke to me after Katie’s gold medal in London about the possibility of her turning pro. There didn’t seem to be the same kind of appetite from broadcasters than there is now.

"Women's sport is really flourishing across networks and channels and after her performances - and of course after the recent Olympics - I received a text from Katie asking would I be interested in promoting her,” Hearns told the crowd.

"I was fascinated by Katie Taylor. She reminded me what was important about top-level sport and in boxing, we're battling with ego and politics. Here was someone who showed me the purity of the sport."

Hearn added "I believe it’s not about women’s boxing breaking through, it’s about the product breaking through. What that means is if you’re entertaining, you’re entertaining. Doesn’t matter if you’re a man or a woman, it’s irrelevant. She’s going to break down the barriers."

Speaking to RTE Taylor reflected on her disappointment during the Rio Olympic Games. She said “It was heartbreaking to lose in Rio. Everyone that knows me knows how much the Olympics means to me, and I'd love to be walking out as a two-time Olympic gold medalist but it wasn't meant to be.

"It hasn't altered my confidence at all. Life is all about ups and downs, mountain tops and valleys, sometimes you have to persevere through tough times. I still have a lot of confidence and belief in myself and the best is yet to come.

"It's been a disappointing year but I've also had some great performances too; people haven't talked about them, but it hasn't been all bad.

"There's been a lot of positives that have come out of the last year but we're moving on now so the past is irrelevant - I'm making a debut and that's what I am focused on."